How to Cook a Turkey

A few simple techniques keep the bird juicy and the surface from over-browning.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Season the inside of the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with onion, carrot, and garlic.
3. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
4. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub the bird with butter, salt, and pepper.
5. Loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent the surface from over-browning.
6. Roast for 1 hour, then remove from the oven and baste with the pan juices. Replace the foil tent and return to the oven. Roast another hour, then remove the foil tent and baste again. Leave the tent off from this point on. Continue roasting and basting every half hour until a meat thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh — about 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours total.
7. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes, then remove the vegetables from the cavity and discard.
8. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with your favorite gravy.